Celica Forums General Discussion Exterior VERY STUPID QUESTION

Okay, I know I'm definately going to reveal my noob status by asking this question, but I'm here to learn, not to look cool. S here goes - what is powder coating?? I've heard it thrown around a lot, but I don't know what it is, so can someone tell me?? thanks in advance for all replies.

powdercoating is like a light paint, the part being powedercoated is dipped into paint then baked in an oven

I got this information from Chris aka Celica2kgts

What is Powder Coating?

Simply put, powder is paint applied by a different method. Most all powder paints start life as a liquid, very similar to spray paint. This is where the resin, various components and pigments are mixed into a homogenous mass. From there they are partially cured, converted into a solid, extruded and ground (cryogenically) to the desired level. Color matches are much more difficult with powder, as once it is made into the powder coating, it is done, versus paint that can have additives used to give desired effects (color tint, gloss, leveling, texture etc.).



There is a gross misconception out there that powder is some space age material akin to high tech ceramics and carbon fiber. Thats generally not true. Powder is just another method of laying down an organic film, i.e. paint. A powder coating of epoxy will have the same basic properties such as poor UV (sunlight) resistance as a liquid paint. For our purposes, resin types should be limited to Acrylic, Polyester, TGIC Polyester and Urethane resins. These are the systems that have the best UV resistance which equates to gloss retention outdoors.

Most powders have very good chemical and corrosion resistance, but again it is resin specific. Epoxies have excellent chemical resistance. Polyesters and Urethanes are typically used for aesthetic coatings on Cycles and have good resistance. Powders do have an advantage over liquid paint here. If you can, imagine how a liquid coating dries or cures. Solvent has to escape from the film as it "dries down". If you were to look at this under a microscope, you would see a bunch of little pinholes that look like small volcanoes. This is an avenue for moisture and chemicals to penetrate the film more quickly, accelerating corrosion. Powder simply melts down at cure temperature and (usually) isnt prone to pin holing. Castings are the exception here. They should always be coated after pre-heating so that the pores of the casting dont "out gas" during the cure cycle. Typical powder cure cycles are 325-375F @ 12-20 minutes, metal temperature. Actual oven temperature may need to be substantially higher to get the metal to temp in a reasonable amount of time.

Powder coating was introduced to the United States in the late 60s. It started to really take off in the mid 70s and has steadily gained in popularity for a number of reasons.

Powder coating is comparatively environmentally friendly. Powders contain no solvents and thus have very low air emissions when curing. Typical powders have a VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) rating of <1.0 pounds per gallon (there is an EPA test method for this!) versus liquid paints in the range of 2.5-7.0 pounds per gallon. There is very little waste with powder. Powder overspray can be collected and reused, rather than just thrown away as with paint over spray.

Powder coating is easy to do. It is much easier to become "good" at applying powder than it is liquid paint. Clean up is also much easier, you can use an air hose instead of solvent.


How is it done?

Powder is sprayed (and in some cases dipped) on parts where it clings by static electricity (sort of like dust on your TV or monitor). That is where the term "electro-statically applied comes from By the way,"electrostatically applied" powder or liquid says nothing about the quality of the workmanship or material, it is just a method! . From there it is baked, where it melts, flows and cures.

BTW - there is a whole FAQ at...
http://www.powderequip.com/allaboutpc.html

basically the shop charges your metal part + and the paint - and when they spray the paint the paint on, it STICKS. I dont know if metal i s or paint is -, it might be the other way around. After they paint it, they bake it.

i love all the chemical processes and shit like that to make these things work. how much does powder coating cost typically?

about $35 and then goes up... depending on the surface area and amount of pieces that you are looking to have done

with large pieces, you have a higher chance of color distortion

so well worth the price for ricing up the engine bay?

it's not a stupid question dude. Anything can be asked here. I DIDN'T even know what powder coating was really or how they did it. All I knew is that it looked good and is durable I think.

make sure you get a clear coat done so that it protects the main painted surface. you'll be able to find powdercoating shops in your local phonebook.